


I Will Never Leave You, My King

by Hotaru_T



Category: Dress Up! Time Princess (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, F/M, Reference to Beheadings, Self-inflicted Injuries (for a purpose. Not self-harm), threat of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29170857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hotaru_T/pseuds/Hotaru_T
Summary: A slight change to the Lafayette ending… Featuring our determined cinnamon roll, King Louis XVI.Was written for the first DUTP fanfic contest. But...between typing it up on my computer and submitting it onto the DUTP submission form via my phone, shenanigans happened and the file I submitted ended a few pages too soon ^^; The place where it ended still worked as an ending though, thankfully! But yeah, this here, is the full version of this fic :D
Relationships: Marie Antoinette/Louis XVI (Dress Up! Time Princess)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	I Will Never Leave You, My King

“Live on. This is an order.”

Says the King, and then he opens the door of the carriage and steps into the angry crowd outside. I can’t see them from where I sit in the carriage, but I can hear their voices, along with that of the King’s, moving farther away. It is obvious that the King is deliberately leading them away from us. My body feels cold as ice as I come to understand what the King’s “plan” is.

“Live on” was his order. His _final_ order. Outside, the voices of the townspeople rise in anger, overwhelming that of the King. In my mind I see King Louis XVI – gentle Auguste – being surrounded by people who hate him, by crowds who wish him death, being led, alone, to the guillotine…

No…

I can’t…

…I can’t let him do this!

“Your Majesty…” Lafayette tries to say something, but I have no time to listen. I take a hairpin from my hair, and ruthlessly drag it across the bump on my head, and then I push open the carriage door, and leap out.

“No please wait!” I cry to the angry people gathered around the King. They all turn to me with astonishment on their faces, and easily move aside as I make my way to the King.

“Ma-!”

I dramatically stumble into the King to prevent him from calling out my name, then cling to him as though I need to lean on him to keep my own balance.

“Please! My husband is a good man! He did not mean to leave this poor lady injured like this, he only panicked when he saw me hurt.”

Wounds on the scalp often bleed profusely from even small cuts, even more so that I’ve made the cut across my bruise. I can only imagine what I must look right now, I’m already having trouble opening my eye from the blood that is running over it.

All the better to hide my face.

The King clears his throat to gather himself from his shock of seeing me like this. He takes out some money from his pocket, and offers it to the crowd, “Please, I am truly sorry that I almost left this poor lady after injuring her. We’ll pay for her medical fees, but please let us be on our way, my wife too, is injured, and I must find her a doctor.”

The crowd of people hesitates in uncertainty, whispering amongst themselves.

I lean more heavily on the King’s arm – not entirely an act – as we waited anxiously for them to decide our fates.

For one hopeful moment, the people looks as though they might decide to forgive us and let us go, but then a man steps forward.

“While your concern for your wife is understandable, but isn’t our Rina’s life also a life? You think you can just throw money at us and leave, after you tried to run and abandoned her, unconscious on the road?”

The crowd, almost calmed just moments before, now begins to rouse again from his words.

“You nobles always think that your lives are worth more than ours!”

“You think we’re just objects to be bought with a few livres??”

Angry words are hurled at us as the crowd begin to close in on us. From the corner of my eye I see Lafayette on the driver’s seat of the carriage, his posture tense, his hand at his waist – his gun – and his expression conflicted, like he was at war with himself. If we can’t find a way to calm this crowd, the noble and loyal marquis might be forced to either fight and kill innocent civilians, or betray his oath to protect the royal family.

I rack my brain trying to think of some way out of this horrible situation, but all I get is a wave of dizziness.

“Ma-… My dear!” I hear the King call out to me and feel his warm arms surround me, I try to answer him, but the world is spinning and it is very hard to think…

“What is going on here?” a clear voice cut through the din of the crowd and the frantic calls of the King. I blink open my eyes with great difficulty to see a man on horseback, somewhat better dressed than the rest of the people gathered. He appears to be a leader of some kind for this community, for the people turn to him and explain the situation, and wait as he looked upon us thoughtfully.

After deliberating for a moment, he turns to the King and speaks: “While it is unforgivable that you tried to abandon someone you injured, it is also understandable why you would panic and make poor decisions. Your wife is certainly in a poor state. I say we stop this useless quarrelling and get both Rina and your wife to the doctor as soon as possible. We have a very good one right in our town, and you have a perfectly serviceable carriage. Why don’t you help us bring Rina to the doctor in your carriage? It is only right since you were the ones who caused her injury, and you will also get treatment for your wife.”

The crowd around us nods to themselves and murmurs in agreement. Everyone seems to agree that this is a good arrangement.

The King looks between the man and the gathered crowd and nods. A figure at the edge of my vision crouches down beside the injured, unconscious woman and lifts her in his arms. It is Lafayette. He must have come from the carriage when I was suffering from my dizzy spell. He carefully places the injured woman, Rina, into the carriage, and then the King and I go in after. Those townspeople who are on horseback surround us tightly, from the look in their eyes and the way their hands rest on their guns, they send a clear message that we will not be able to run.

Obediently, we follow the riders towards the town, the King hovering anxiously over me all the while.

“Marie…you shouldn’t have… You should have obeyed me and ran when you could…” he gently admonishes as he tries to clean away some of the blood on my face with his handkerchief, “you don’t know how afraid I was, when I saw you follow me out of the carriage, how afraid I was that the people might do you harm, how afraid I am that they still might…”

His hand shakes as his voice trails away to silence. I reach out and take his hand, and bring it to my heart.

“I’ve not disobeyed your order yet, my King,” I joked gently, “’Live on’ was what you said, wasn’t it? Am I not still living?”

“Marie! That’s not…that’s not what I…” the King sputtered, caught off guard by my joke and unable to argue my sound logic.

“Your Majesty, if I may,” Lafayette comes to his aid, “while it was certainly your quick thinking that saved the King and bought us this reprieve, I agree with his Majesty that your actions were extremely reckless. And now you are hurt and we still don’t know what might happen next. Once we reach the town, there will be no telling whether I will be able to protect you…”

He is lecturing me, yet again! And in this sort of tense situation!! I take in a breath to defend myself, but a slight tremor in his voice gives me pause. From where I sit, his silhouette looks as stern and disciplined as ever, but his knuckles are white where he holds the reins.

“That man,” he continues, “that ‘Drouet’, I do not trust him. The way he looks at your Majesties when he thinks no one’s looking…I do not believe that he ‘helped’ you for your sakes.”

Lafayette is speaking of that well-dressed man who leads the townspeople. I can’t help but agree. Even while sick and dizzy, something about that man makes me feel uneasy. And it’s evident that the King feels the same.

“Once we go in that town, we might not come out again…at least, not on our own will.” the King murmurs quietly, almost to himself. He does not look afraid however, only resigned. Then he looks over at me, and scrutinizes my face as if trying to assess my injury.

“I will not leave you.” I say, resolute, “I’ve no wish to disobey your order to ‘live on’, my King, but I will not leave. There are better plans than to sacrifice any one of us. There must be. Whatever happens, if we plan, we must plan for all of us to be safe.”

The King looks like he might argue, but then whatever he sees in my face makes him stop. He sighs, then smiles, his eyes gentle yet determined as he looks upon me.

“You’re right, my brave and kind Queen. I shall have to improve upon my planning from here on.”

“You mean…?” I ask, feeling hope rising in me.

The King nods, still smiling, “I do have a plan, but it’s very risky, chances of success are slim, but with the three of us working together, we might just make it work.”

“If it means all of us can be safe, then I’ll try anything.” I agree enthusiastically.

“I am at your service, Your Majesties,” says Lafayette.

The King smiles at both of us, then his face turns serious, “First, Lafayette, does your oath of loyalty to the royal family still stand?”

Lafayette blinks in surprise, “Yes Your Majesty, you know I will never betray my oath.”

“Good. Then I need you to take a horse and run as soon as you see a chance.”

“Your Majesty??” Lafayette’s eyes are as large as saucers.

“Please hear me out,” says the King, “It is possible that Drouet knows who we are, but then why did he not expose us immediately? They could have captured us back there if they wanted, why bother tricking us to go with them to town? I think there’s a good chance that he suspects our identities, but he is not certain, but there might be people in the town that might confirm his suspicions. Lafayette, right now you are no less recognizable than we. If the three of us all stay together, there is greater chance of at least one of us getting recognized. And if they capture all three of us, then there’s nothing more we can do. But if one of us – you – can manage to get away, then there’s at least some hope for us.”

“But…”

“I need to write you a letter…” the King does not wait for Lafayette to argue, and instead begins to rummage about his person for writing implements. We left Paris in such a chaotic state, we hardly managed to bring more with us than the clothes on our backs. The King searchs all his pockets, and pulls out only his handkerchief. As it is already soaked with my blood, I quietly offer mine instead. The King then bites open his own finger, and scribbles a message onto the handkerchief.

“Take this to d’Eon,” he says as he hands the handkerchief to Lafayette, “and my previous order still stands. I trust that you’ll not interpret it however you please, unlike my Queen?” He lifts a brow playfully. There is gravity behind the playfulness however, and Lafayette takes the handkerchief carefully, hesitantly.

“Your Majesty…”

“Please, call me ‘Auguste’,” the King interrupts him, “it’s best not to address me as ‘Your Majesty’ from now on.”

Helplessly, Lafayette looks to me, but I can offer him no help. If our plan fails, then perhaps it is fate that Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette shall die at the guillotine. But Lafayette is supposed to live on and do many, many great things, and become a Hero of Two Worlds.

I smile at him, “And please call me ‘Player234092309@#$^&$’ from now on.”

Lafayette’s eyes widen, but only for a second, then his expression hardens with resolve and his calloused fingers close tightly around the handkerchief.

“On my honour, Your Majesties, you can count on me,” he says, “I will deliver your message to d’Eon, then come back for you.”

With that, he squares his shoulders, turns back to the road, and refuses to acknowledge any argument from us.

……………………………………..

Rina woke up just before we reached town, which was fortunate for then she only needed Auguste and I to help her off the carriage. So Lafayette stayed on the carriage, and when everyone was distracted helping and greeting Rina, he cut a horse loose from the carriage, and rode off.

Auguste made a show of calling desperately to “Gilbert” to no avail, and I greatly exaggerated how affected I was by the turn of events and my head injury. Drouet and some of the townspeople were very suspicious of us, but many more became more sympathetic to our “plight”. We then told them a tragic tale of how bad things were in Paris, of how it was chaos and violence and people were going after women for simply looking like the Queen, and how we left in a hurry because I, Player123125#$%@, happen to also look like the Queen, and we escaped the city with barely more than the clothes on our backs. And now, our only servant had abandoned us.

We won even more sympathy and goodwill from the townspeople when, at the doctor’s, Auguste spotted the rickety chair that the town doctor sat on, and fixed it to the astonishment of many present. He then went on to fix many more things around Rina’s house as apology, and even made her a few trinkets and locks. It also helped that Rina was not seriously injured after all, and recovered quickly with some rest.

I too, helped Rina and the women of her household as much as I could with their chores. Between my knowledge of chores and crafts as an ordinary woman of the modern age, and “Marie’s” memories of her wilder childhood days in the unusually casual royal household of Austria, I actually wasn’t all that bad at it. Of course, on account of my head injury and my status as an “upper class lady”, the women refused to let me help with the heavier chores that often involved tools that neither my modern self nor “Marie” had ever seen.

Days pass, the townspeople were now much more friendly and trusting towards Auguste and me. Yet, the suspicion in Drouet’s eyes never went away, and as long as he and those under him had their eyes on us, Auguste and I could not find the opportunity to sneak away. I feared that with each passing day our danger grew greater, that if we were unable to find a way to leave this town soon, the revolutionaries would come find us.

And it was with that fear in my heart that, while working in Rina’s vegetable garden one day, the bushes behind me sneezed.

…………

“Who’s there??” I cry as I leap away from those bushes, pointing my garden trowel at the greenery as though it were a knife.

“Peace little bird, it is only I.” says the bushes, and such a relief comes over me at the familiar voice that I almost burst into tears.

“D’Eon!!”

“As much as I enjoy your song, little bird, I must ask you to be quiet for me. There is a reason that I’m hiding in these bushes, it is best if I am not detected by other people here.”

“So you sneezed, as all bushes do?” I huff, though I lower my voice obediently.

“Such sharp words the little bird weaves into her song! I would love to tell you all about the intricacies and complexities of hiding in bushes, but I am here on urgent matters,” whispers the bushes, “little bird tell me, where is the King?”

“Some of the townspeople invited him to the town pub as thanks for the locks he made them. He just left with them a few moments ago.” I whisper back.

“Not good,” the bushes hiss, “we need to go get the King. Little bird, find me some clothes that the maids around here wear. Something Simple and Gentle if you can.”

……………………………

And so two buxom maids wound their way through the crowded pub, the trays in their hands heavily laden with drinks. One of them took the cup that a confused gentleman was just about to drink from, and replaced it with another cup with a playful wink. And by nightfall, the entire pub was snoring soundly while the gentleman, the only one who’d not fallen asleep, followed the maids out the pub’s back door.

“D’Eon! Player1246452345@#$#!! What is going on?” he exclaims when the two maids took off their disguise.

“That Drouet is a revolutionary, my King. Your Majesties threw him off by being not at all the cruel pampered snobs that he believed you to be, but the lot from Paris who’ve been searching for you since your escape has reached this town, and Drouet and his pals decided to simply drug you and hand you over to the them and let them decide who you truly are. Now come, we must make haste.” d’Eon explains, as he urges Auguste and me to follow him through the shadows between the town buildings.

A chill runs down my spine at the thought of how close Auguste and I have come to meeting our fate, but there is no time to dwell on such things, I tell myself, and I concentrate on following d’Eon as closely and as quietly as I can.

After what felt like an eternity of going around the various houses of the town, my heart at my throat from the fear of being discovered and stopped by the townspeople, we came to a patch of woodland on the outskirts of town. D’Eon led us into the dark woods with no hesitation in his steps, and as the moon rose to illuminate our surroundings, we found ourselves coming face to face with…

“Lafayette!!” I gasp.

The proud marquis is as tall and straight as ever, but there is something that speaks of fatigue in his stance, and he has clearly lost some weight.

The tiredness in his eyes clears away however, as soon as he sees us.

“This stubborn Eagle has ridden day and night, exchanging his horse for a fresh one in town when his previous one tires. And almost as soon as he met up with me, he rode all the way back again.” Says d’Eon, ignoring the glare that Lafayette is aiming his way.

“Lafayette…I…thank you…I…” I don’t know what to say to express my gratitude and love for this stubborn, rigid, faithful man.

“Thank you, my friend, truly, I owe you my life – and more! You saved both myself and Marie!” Says Auguste as his clasps Lafayette’s shoulder.

“It is only my duty,” says Lafayette, clearly unsure of what to do in this emotional reunion, a blush rising on his cheeks, “and my own wish.”

He might have glanced at me, but it went so quick that I couldn’t be sure. Another look at his face and he is once again as stern as always.

“We should be on our way.” He gestures at the two horses behind him.

“Please excuse these poor conditions, Your Majesties, but we need to share the horses for now. They are fresh and well-rested, and we should be able to get to a place where we can safely change to more suitable transportation by tomorrow.” Says d’Eon apologetically.

“This is fine, more than fine. I can’t thank the two of you enough.” Says Auguste as gets on one of the horses, then helps me up in front of him.

“Now, let us be off.”

…………………

It is many days before we catch sight of the tall white sails of the ships at the harbour. We experienced many hardships along the way, sometimes camping out in the wilderness to avoid detection by the revolutionaries. But at last we are here, all four of us, safe.

I take in a slow, deep breath of the warm, salty air, the fear and anxiety of the past days falling away from my shoulders like a long, distant dream.

“This is where we part, Your Majesties.” D’Eon suddenly says.

“You’re not coming with us?” Auguste asks, astonished.

“I live in France, and shall die in France,” says d’Eon, “besides, I am greatly limited in my ability to help Your Majesties in America. Better I stay here and watch over France should Your Majesties wish to return some day.”

“I too, will stay,” says Lafayette, “I thought to entrust Your Majesties’ safety to my past comrades in America but…”

Pain flashes across his eyes, and I know that he is thinking of the men who had betrayed the King and me in their attempt to protect Lafayette.

“It is probably safer for you to hide your identities and start anew there,” Lafayette continues, “away from anyone who might know you…or me.”

“But isn’t it dangerous for you to stay in France?” I argue, “Once the revolutionaries learn that you are the one who helped us escape, they’ll be after you too!”

“Why don’t you come with us, and just act as if you don’t know us?” says Auguste, “with…what happened with your men, you can’t get help from nobles like Blaisdell and Fersen either, for they no longer trust you.”

“I…might be able to change that, with some help,” Lafayette glances over at d’Eon, who gave a bow with flourish, “and I still have your order to fulfill.”

He takes out the handkerchief with the King’s last order on it.

“’Live on to protect our children,’” it read.

I feel a pang of sadness and regret. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette had two young sons who were still in France at the time of the French Revolution. The King and I had left them in the care of Fersen and the King’s brother, reasoning that it is too dangerous for us to stay in such a large group together as we try to make our escape. As of now I have no way of knowing whether they are safe.

“I swore on my honour that I will carry out your order,” says Lafayette, “and I shall.”

We look at Lafayette’s stern, resolute face, and know that we cannot persuade him otherwise.

“My order to ‘live on’ still stands,” says the King, “and I expect it to be carried out with as much faith as you do with all my orders.”

“Please be careful, both of you,” I say. I try to say more but the words choke at my throat and tears threaten to fall.

“Don’t worry,” d’Eon says with a playful wink, “I’ll keep the Great Eagle from falling on his own rigidness.”

“And I’ll keep him from mischief.” Lafayette sighs.

“Ha! I’ll see you try!”

I blink back my tears and put on a smile for them, for they are working so hard to put on a smile for me.

Lafayette and d’Eon instruct us on various things we need to take note of, and then we say our goodbyes.

…………………………

The gentle sea breeze, the cries of seagulls mixed with the sound of the waves…make me feel like this trip is becoming a reality.

We really are leaving France.

I haven’t stayed in France that long but I’ve already experienced many unforgettable things… Joy, sadness, and all of the people here have left their marks on me.

I can’t imagine how it’s like for Auguste, who has not only lost his kingdom, the kingdom and home he grew up in, but also almost everything and everyone he knows…

I ask Auguste, and he stares at the white waves in the distance for a long time.

“Did you know, I was never meant to be king?” he speaks up just when I thought he isn’t going to answer.

I turn to him, surprised, but he simply continues, as if he’s telling a story that he had wanted to tell for a long, long time.

“I was never meant to be king. My older brother was. He would have been a brilliant king. Everyone believed so. But then he died, and I took his place. But I wasn’t him. I tried to be what people wanted me to be – a good king. Grandfather didn’t think I would be one. He never thought me worthy. And now…if he were to suddenly turn up from his grave, I have no ground to disagree, have I?”

Auguste breathes out in a slow sigh, “Perhaps, this is simply things going back to the way they should be.”

“Auguste…” I gently take his hand in mine in an attempt to comfort him. But what can I say to console him? Tell him he was a good king? The revolutionaries who rebelled against the royal family and ousted their king have quite soundly refuted that. But I know how hard Auguste have tried. And yet it doesn’t seem to matter. I too, have tried very hard to be a good queen and win the hearts of the people of France, and that doesn’t seem to matter either.

Perhaps this is simply the outcome that Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are fated to have.

But then, their fate was also to fail to escape France and be beheaded at the guillotine, wasn’t it?

Though some of our efforts were in vain, but…not all of them were. We have gone through so much in the past few days, weeks, months, but we survived, didn’t we? As did our friends and loved ones. There is still the future ahead of us – a gaping unknown that both frightens and excites.

Auguste listens quietly and thoughtfully as I share my thoughts. This is what he usually does, but right now I feel greatly comforted by his familiar, gentle presence.

For some time we stand side by side in comfortable silence, staring out to the waves.

“Marie. Thank you.” Auguste suddenly breaks the silence.

“Hmm? What for?” I turn to him.

“For always insisting on believing in me. Even when I insist on not believing in myself. Those days in that town…if it weren’t for you believing so vehemently that we both will live, I would not have tried as hard as I did to survive.”

He then took my hand and marvelled at it as though it were a wonder to behold, “and you even washed all those pots and pans! And pulled weeds! And dug around in that garden!”

I laugh and give his hand a squeeze in turn.

“And what about you? How many rickety old chairs have you fixed? How many rusty old locks have you restored? Your hands kept us alive! …In more ways than one. And my dear King, if we are to start anew in the New World, I’m afraid that you might have to fix a few more locks and chairs to keep us alive still.”

I’m teasing, but Auguste doesn’t seem affected at all. He brings my hand, still held in his, to that warm smile on his lips.

“Nothing will make me happier, my Queen.”

Maybe we can change fate, maybe we can’t. But with you by my side, I’ll not be afraid to try.

**End**

**__~** **Sail into a Future Full of Hope~__**

**Author's Note:**

> -Historically, Jean-Baptiste Drouet was the one who recognized King Louis XVI on his escape attempt, which led to the royal family’s arrest.  
> -Rina is not an OC nor a name made up by me. This NPC with no speaking role whatsoever was actually given a name in one line in canon lol  
> -You might notice some familiar lines from the game here. This is basically a “what if” Louis XVI hijacks Lafayette’s route, cuz he kinda came out of nowhere and stole my heart during my pursuit of Lafayette XD


End file.
